The cost of weight loss
Jestinia
Posts: 1,153 Member
Willpower might be a finite resource, one we use for more than just maintaining a calorie deficit. A resource we could have chosen to use for something else.
This concept bothers me a lot. I keep asking myself, is this really what I should be putting my focus and energy into?
On the other hand, does being a healthy weight give me more of this finite resource to draw on? I haven't figured that out yet. Does anyone else struggle with this? Have you found success in balancing eating healthy and attaining or maintaining a healthier weight with success in the rest of your life? Or do you find that, when you're wrestling with your urge to order pizza that evening, you slack off on your career and get kind of uninterested in non-food related topics?
http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/psp/74/5/1252/
Choice, active response, self-regulation, and other volition may all draw on a common inner resource. In Experiment 1, people who forced themselves to eat radishes instead of tempting chocolates subsequently quit faster on unsolvable puzzles than people who had not had to exert self-control over eating....
This concept bothers me a lot. I keep asking myself, is this really what I should be putting my focus and energy into?
On the other hand, does being a healthy weight give me more of this finite resource to draw on? I haven't figured that out yet. Does anyone else struggle with this? Have you found success in balancing eating healthy and attaining or maintaining a healthier weight with success in the rest of your life? Or do you find that, when you're wrestling with your urge to order pizza that evening, you slack off on your career and get kind of uninterested in non-food related topics?
http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/psp/74/5/1252/
Choice, active response, self-regulation, and other volition may all draw on a common inner resource. In Experiment 1, people who forced themselves to eat radishes instead of tempting chocolates subsequently quit faster on unsolvable puzzles than people who had not had to exert self-control over eating....
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Replies
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My first couple months I definitely had the sense that I was putting a lot of my will power into eating less, and slacking off in some other areas of my life. It reminded me of the first time I trained for a 25K run or a 200K bike ride.
However, after that it became more or less a habit to eat less than I used to. Once the habit was formed, I could turn to other things. And the health benefits of no longer being overweight will stick with me for the rest of my life.
Now I just need to break the habit of checking in on the MFP forums! (Seriously. I do think I spend too much time online.)0 -
My first couple months I definitely had the sense that I was putting a lot of my will power into eating less, and slacking off in some other areas of my life. It reminded me of the first time I trained for a 25K run or a 200K bike ride.
However, after that it became more or less a habit to eat less than I used to. Once the habit was formed, I could turn to other things. And the health benefits of no longer being overweight will stick with me for the rest of my life.
Now I just need to break the habit of checking in on the MFP forums! (Seriously. I do think I spend too much time online.)
I guess my problem is that I haven't managed to make this white-knuckle-deathgrip-on-calories into a habit yet. I just don't seem to know how.
Trying to figure out nutritional balance now, maybe that will be the key. Not ready to give up, just frustrated by how much effort I have to expend that I feel guilty and worried for not expending on other things.0 -
Not really no. I still have days when I eat a lot of crap, over eat, don't work out. But I also have probably more when I make an effort to get up & off my *kitten*. Personally I find the knock on effect of weight loss/exercise for me is that I have more energy & my concentration improves. I now sleep better and am probably far more productive in other areas of my life as a result.
Everything in life is always going to be a juggling act. You just have to suss out what's important to you & how you can incorporate it. Logging food & pre preparing meals does not take that much time. Adding in an hour of exercise isn't generally going to be that hard.0 -
Sorry, but the forums are not a place for intellectual discourse. Please supply a question I can answer with a cat GIF.0
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Sorry, but the forums are not a place for intellectual discourse. Please supply a question I can answer with a cat GIF.
:laugh:0 -
So what do you think your willpower would be better suited towards?
What could possibly be more important than your overall health?
I feel like once you make the decision to look at this "journey" (for lack of better term) from an overall health perspective rather than just weight loss things really get put into perspective.0 -
For me, when I'm eating a healthier diet and exercising (even when logging my calories, and yes, obsessing just a little) I feel happier and have more self esteem than when I don't try to control what I'm eating. This gives me more motivation and drive, and I definitely put more effort and enthusiasm into work and my personal life.0
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Yep, probably the worst 'cost' of weight loss for me tooNow I just need to break the habit of checking in on the MFP forums! (Seriously. I do think I spend too much time online.)
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I recommend reading Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey. It was an eye opening book for me.
The gist of his argument is this: exercise does a whole lot more than just "create calorie deficit" or "apply specificity to lean body mass." The neurotransmitters and hormones that it produces totally change the chemical state of the brain for the better. Lowered depression, lowered anxiety, better moods, better memory, less stress - all of these that are anecdotally mentioned in passing when talking about exercise are real things, and the chemical changes in your brain are beyond that of any drug.
There is no time wasted because exercise puts not just your body, but your mind in the optimal condition for doing all the other things in life that matter to you. It's the oil in the engine of life.
Beautifully put 0 -
I recommend reading Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey. It was an eye opening book for me.
The gist of his argument is this: exercise does a whole lot more than just "create calorie deficit" or "apply specificity to lean body mass." The neurotransmitters and hormones that it produces totally change the chemical state of the brain for the better. Lowered depression, lowered anxiety, better moods, better memory, less stress - all of these that are anecdotally mentioned in passing when talking about exercise are real things, and the chemical changes in your brain are beyond that of any drug.
There is no time wasted because exercise puts not just your body, but your mind in the optimal condition for doing all the other things in life that matter to you. It's the oil in the engine of life.
Exercise is a completely different subject from the eating issue. Exercise definitely helped me feel better when I could do it every other day or more. Unfortunately I had respiratory issues all last year, straight through the Winter, and I've gimped up my knees with running, so I'm out of luck right this second. Very frustrating and demotivating. I'm currently waiting for the pool to open so I can try swimming every day and see if that helps. Not sure what it will do for the wheezing issue. If that keeps getting in my way I will eventually have to stop being stubborn and see a doctor, but luckily chlorine vapors have never before caused me any issues.
I just want more bang for my energy and focus buck. I've contemplated trying to get into a health and weight-control related field before, maybe I should think on that again. Sort of a two birds with one stone strategy. Because long healthy life, that's great, but not if it means living in poverty and working in fast food because I didn't use my energy to get me somewhere better in life.0 -
I recommend reading Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey. It was an eye opening book for me.
The gist of his argument is this: exercise does a whole lot more than just "create calorie deficit" or "apply specificity to lean body mass." The neurotransmitters and hormones that it produces totally change the chemical state of the brain for the better. Lowered depression, lowered anxiety, better moods, better memory, less stress - all of these that are anecdotally mentioned in passing when talking about exercise are real things, and the chemical changes in your brain are beyond that of any drug.
There is no time wasted because exercise puts not just your body, but your mind in the optimal condition for doing all the other things in life that matter to you. It's the oil in the engine of life.
Beautifully put
+10 -
I recommend reading Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey. It was an eye opening book for me.
The gist of his argument is this: exercise does a whole lot more than just "create calorie deficit" or "apply specificity to lean body mass." The neurotransmitters and hormones that it produces totally change the chemical state of the brain for the better. Lowered depression, lowered anxiety, better moods, better memory, less stress - all of these that are anecdotally mentioned in passing when talking about exercise are real things, and the chemical changes in your brain are beyond that of any drug.
There is no time wasted because exercise puts not just your body, but your mind in the optimal condition for doing all the other things in life that matter to you. It's the oil in the engine of life.
Exercise is a completely different subject from the eating issue. Exercise definitely helped me feel better when I could do it every other day or more. Unfortunately I had respiratory issues all last year, straight through the Winter, and I've gimped up my knees with running, so I'm out of luck right this second. Very frustrating and demotivating. I'm currently waiting for the pool to open so I can try swimming every day and see if that helps. Not sure what it will do for the wheezing issue. If that keeps getting in my way I will eventually have to stop being stubborn and see a doctor, but luckily chlorine vapors have never before caused me any issues.
I just want more bang for my energy and focus buck. I've contemplated trying to get into a health and weight-control related field before, maybe I should think on that again. Sort of a two birds with one stone strategy. Because long healthy life, that's great, but not if it means living in poverty and working in fast food because I didn't use my energy to get me somewhere better in life.
I'm sorry, but I still don't understand why there has to be a trade off here? From the way it sounds in your response above, you feel that eating healthy or counting calories is leading you to a life of poverty or low paying jobs? How does using your energy to be cognizant of your intake equate to being stagnant in your life.0 -
I recommend reading Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey. It was an eye opening book for me.
The gist of his argument is this: exercise does a whole lot more than just "create calorie deficit" or "apply specificity to lean body mass." The neurotransmitters and hormones that it produces totally change the chemical state of the brain for the better. Lowered depression, lowered anxiety, better moods, better memory, less stress - all of these that are anecdotally mentioned in passing when talking about exercise are real things, and the chemical changes in your brain are beyond that of any drug.
There is no time wasted because exercise puts not just your body, but your mind in the optimal condition for doing all the other things in life that matter to you. It's the oil in the engine of life.
Exercise is a completely different subject from the eating issue. Exercise definitely helped me feel better when I could do it every other day or more. Unfortunately I had respiratory issues all last year, straight through the Winter, and I've gimped up my knees with running, so I'm out of luck right this second. Very frustrating and demotivating. I'm currently waiting for the pool to open so I can try swimming every day and see if that helps. Not sure what it will do for the wheezing issue. If that keeps getting in my way I will eventually have to stop being stubborn and see a doctor, but luckily chlorine vapors have never before caused me any issues.
I just want more bang for my energy and focus buck. I've contemplated trying to get into a health and weight-control related field before, maybe I should think on that again. Sort of a two birds with one stone strategy. Because long healthy life, that's great, but not if it means living in poverty and working in fast food because I didn't use my energy to get me somewhere better in life.
I'm sorry, but I still don't understand why there has to be a trade off here? From the way it sounds in your response above, you feel that eating healthy or counting calories is leading you to a life of poverty or low paying jobs? How does using your energy to be cognizant of your intake equate to being stagnant in your life.
Reread my first post. The actual scientific part, not just the part with me whining. :blushing:0 -
Yep. Willpower is not an endless reserve, it has it's limits, just as we have our physical limits and reserves. Lends a bit of credence to the concept of having (and doing) things in moderation.0
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Yep. Willpower is not an endless reserve, it has it's limits, just as we have our physical limits and reserves. Lends a bit of credence to the concept of having (and doing) things in moderation.
This is why I am so glad to have you on my FL. Smart man, indeed!0 -
Yep. Willpower is not an endless reserve, it has it's limits, just as we have our physical limits and reserves. Lends a bit of credence to the concept of having (and doing) things in moderation.
This is why I am so glad to have you on my FL. Smart man, indeed!
Well, you know, smart folks tend to flock together. Like seagulls.
But not a Flock of Seagulls.
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I recommend reading Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey. It was an eye opening book for me.
The gist of his argument is this: exercise does a whole lot more than just "create calorie deficit" or "apply specificity to lean body mass." The neurotransmitters and hormones that it produces totally change the chemical state of the brain for the better. Lowered depression, lowered anxiety, better moods, better memory, less stress - all of these that are anecdotally mentioned in passing when talking about exercise are real things, and the chemical changes in your brain are beyond that of any drug.
There is no time wasted because exercise puts not just your body, but your mind in the optimal condition for doing all the other things in life that matter to you. It's the oil in the engine of life.
Exercise is a completely different subject from the eating issue. Exercise definitely helped me feel better when I could do it every other day or more. Unfortunately I had respiratory issues all last year, straight through the Winter, and I've gimped up my knees with running, so I'm out of luck right this second. Very frustrating and demotivating. I'm currently waiting for the pool to open so I can try swimming every day and see if that helps. Not sure what it will do for the wheezing issue. If that keeps getting in my way I will eventually have to stop being stubborn and see a doctor, but luckily chlorine vapors have never before caused me any issues.
I just want more bang for my energy and focus buck. I've contemplated trying to get into a health and weight-control related field before, maybe I should think on that again. Sort of a two birds with one stone strategy. Because long healthy life, that's great, but not if it means living in poverty and working in fast food because I didn't use my energy to get me somewhere better in life.
I'm sorry, but I still don't understand why there has to be a trade off here? From the way it sounds in your response above, you feel that eating healthy or counting calories is leading you to a life of poverty or low paying jobs? How does using your energy to be cognizant of your intake equate to being stagnant in your life.
Reread my first post. The actual scientific part, not just the part with me whining. :blushing:
Well not too sure about the "science" there but with that being said I'm not exactly the most "sciencey" person out there.
I guess I interpreted your last post differently than how you intended it. I could see how poor habits could lead to poor choices and vice versa however I can't see how the good habits would lead to poor choices, which is why I thought that you were talking about a tradeoff.
In terms of willpower, I agree with Mr_Bad_Example in that there are limits, however I also feel like once something becomes a habit, that particular task (for lack of better term) no longer requires the same amount of willpower. Which then lends the opportunity to move onto another task that does. If that makes sense? Sometimes things make sense in my brain but not when I type it out :laugh:0 -
I recommend reading Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey. It was an eye opening book for me.
The gist of his argument is this: exercise does a whole lot more than just "create calorie deficit" or "apply specificity to lean body mass." The neurotransmitters and hormones that it produces totally change the chemical state of the brain for the better. Lowered depression, lowered anxiety, better moods, better memory, less stress - all of these that are anecdotally mentioned in passing when talking about exercise are real things, and the chemical changes in your brain are beyond that of any drug.
There is no time wasted because exercise puts not just your body, but your mind in the optimal condition for doing all the other things in life that matter to you. It's the oil in the engine of life.
Exercise is a completely different subject from the eating issue. Exercise definitely helped me feel better when I could do it every other day or more. Unfortunately I had respiratory issues all last year, straight through the Winter, and I've gimped up my knees with running, so I'm out of luck right this second. Very frustrating and demotivating. I'm currently waiting for the pool to open so I can try swimming every day and see if that helps. Not sure what it will do for the wheezing issue. If that keeps getting in my way I will eventually have to stop being stubborn and see a doctor, but luckily chlorine vapors have never before caused me any issues.
I just want more bang for my energy and focus buck. I've contemplated trying to get into a health and weight-control related field before, maybe I should think on that again. Sort of a two birds with one stone strategy. Because long healthy life, that's great, but not if it means living in poverty and working in fast food because I didn't use my energy to get me somewhere better in life.
I'm sorry, but I still don't understand why there has to be a trade off here? From the way it sounds in your response above, you feel that eating healthy or counting calories is leading you to a life of poverty or low paying jobs? How does using your energy to be cognizant of your intake equate to being stagnant in your life.
Reread my first post. The actual scientific part, not just the part with me whining. :blushing:
Well not too sure about the "science" there but with that being said I'm not exactly the most "sciencey" person out there.
I guess I interpreted your last post differently than how you intended it. I could see how poor habits could lead to poor choices and vice versa however I can't see how the good habits would lead to poor choices, which is why I thought that you were talking about a tradeoff.
In terms of willpower, I agree with Mr_Bad_Example in that there are limits, however I also feel like once something becomes a habit, that particular task (for lack of better term) no longer requires the same amount of willpower. Which then lends the opportunity to move onto another task that does. If that makes sense? Sometimes things make sense in my brain but not when I type it out :laugh:
It makes sense, just hasn't become habit for me as of now. Of course the whole moderation thing mentioned might have something to do with that. I'm terrible at moderation. I have two modes for everything. Ones and zeroes.
Since I'm currently fascinated with the science of weight management, maybe I should fuse my interests and health goals with that pesky necessity of making a living by seeking employment in a related field. As long as it doesn't involve selling things and a lot of math. Otherwise, I'm pretty good at logic and I'm getting reasonably competent at research. While I'm spending too much time on MFP, let me self promote: Have laptop, will travel anywhere Northwest of ragweed!0 -
The moderation part is key. It's crucial for long term success, IMO. The all of nothing approach is why so many of us struggle for far too long. Get that figured out and you'll be golden 0
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I do feel like I have a finite amount of energy and focus per day. When I was working a high pressure, high stress job, I found that it consumed most, if not all, of my energy and focus. Other things that could have been attended to, like eating appropriately and exercising, simply fell to the wayside because I just didn't have the energy to care about it. I was unhappy with my 20 lb weight gain and lack of exercise, but I truly felt that I did not have the wherewithal to deal with it because I was so focused on working. Of course I could have exercised or made better food choices, but I was so stressed and exhausted that I truly felt I did not have the energy to expend on those focuses.
Fast forward a few months- I quit that job. My new work is much more positive and does not require the insane hours or attention of my old position. I feel that I can now allocate part of my focus and energy to using MFP and exercising. I have time to walk to work now. I can go to the gym after work without it turning into a 12 hour day. I guess the point is, if you know that you have a certain amount of energy/focus/discipline, make changes as needed so that it can be used in moderation across the important areas of your life. I am so much happier now that I can focus on work AND being healthy, as I believe both are important. It's ok to admit that you don't have unlimited will power or focus, just try (as I have been doing) to adjust accordingly so that you can find a balance.0 -
I do feel like I have a finite amount of energy and focus per day. When I was working a high pressure, high stress job, I found that it consumed most, if not all, of my energy and focus. Other things that could have been attended to, like eating appropriately and exercising, simply fell to the wayside because I just didn't have the energy to care about it. I was unhappy with my 20 lb weight gain and lack of exercise, but I truly felt that I did not have the wherewithal to deal with it because I was so focused on working. Of course I could have exercised or made better food choices, but I was so stressed and exhausted that I truly felt I did not have the energy to expend on those focuses.
Fast forward a few months- I quit that job. My new work is much more positive and does not require the insane hours or attention of my old position. I feel that I can now allocate part of my focus and energy to using MFP and exercising. I have time to walk to work now. I can go to the gym after work without it turning into a 12 hour day. I guess the point is, if you know that you have a certain amount of energy/focus/discipline, make changes as needed so that it can be used in moderation across the important areas of your life. I am so much happier now that I can focus on work AND being healthy, as I believe both are important. It's ok to admit that you don't have unlimited will power or focus, just try (as I have been doing) to adjust accordingly so that you can find a balance.
Perfect! I think this hits on exactly what I'm grappling with. For my life to be worth living, I have to find meaningful work I enjoy and that I'm good at. I don't have any prospects at the moment, but I am in the 'healthy' weight range. I worked really hard to get here, but it isn't enough, and now I'm spending a lot of energy to maintain it, too, but that isn't enough either.
But when I find that job (or rather, career) I'll have to balance my focus on that with my health. Not going to be easy at all. Much less for someone who doesn't know the meaning of 'moderation'.
Oh well, at least now the problems are defined. Time to find the solutions.
Thanks all!0 -
I recommend reading Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey. It was an eye opening book for me.
The gist of his argument is this: exercise does a whole lot more than just "create calorie deficit" or "apply specificity to lean body mass." The neurotransmitters and hormones that it produces totally change the chemical state of the brain for the better. Lowered depression, lowered anxiety, better moods, better memory, less stress - all of these that are anecdotally mentioned in passing when talking about exercise are real things, and the chemical changes in your brain are beyond that of any drug.
There is no time wasted because exercise puts not just your body, but your mind in the optimal condition for doing all the other things in life that matter to you. It's the oil in the engine of life.
Bravo...take a bow sir! Now go workout
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I've seen many people mention this like this resulting from exercise. For me personaly, not had any particularly.Lowered depression, lowered anxiety, better moods, better memory, less stress - all of these that are anecdotally mentioned in passing when talking about exercise are real things, and the chemical changes in your brain are beyond that of any drug.
I also never got the "runner's high".
What I do however get is disliking the activity less the more I do it - in the past I particulary disliked running, now I don't mind it. I don't actually *like* it, but I do still do it because it's very convenient, I can take the dog and I like the results (better fitness/more food.)0 -
I tend to think that "willpower" is a lot like love. The more I give away, the stronger it gets and the more I get in return. Or to put it another way, the more I "exercise" willpower the stronger it gets and I can use it to tackle more things.0
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Willpower might be a finite resource, one we use for more than just maintaining a calorie deficit. A resource we could have chosen to use for something else.
Stopped reading there.0 -
If you restrict too much it could be bad for your teeth. At least my teeth got bad when my deficit was down to about 800 cal/day and my teeth got better when I ate a surplus.0
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Calliope610 wrote:
I tend to think that "willpower" is a lot like love. The more I give away, the stronger it gets and the more I get in return. Or to put it another way, the more I "exercise" willpower the stronger it gets and I can use it to tackle more things.
I don't know if willpower and love are similar but in general I agree. Willpower is finite, yes, but as one exerts it and experiences success (slow though it may be) the effort goes down. Or... one might say, willpower reserves increase. Either way, it gets easier over time.
I tend to see good health as an investment. I'm a care giver for 4 different people with various disabilities, and I can tell you, though the misfortune of their ill health is not all their fault, if they had invested more in maintaining and enhancing what health they had, things would be better for them now. Like putting money in the bank and willing yourself not to touch it, as time passes, you get so used to saving you don't even think about it anymore, and with time it grows into a really nice nest egg.
I've also noticed in myself, in friends and loved ones, once health is properly managed, all that other stuff seems to fall into place-work, family relationships, regular life/duties that can drag us down--everything gets easier. Hard to believe it, though, if you haven't been there yet.0
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